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Hózhǫ́: Walk In Beauty at Four Winds

November 20, 2013

We would like to thank Shane Hendren and Jed Foutz for a great show! It was an honor to be able to host both a talented jeweler as well as a knowledgeable trader; not only did they bring exceptional material, but their stories were a real treat for the Pittsburgh audience. We especially appreciated their perspective on Southwestern Native American art culture as it continues to evolve.

Visitors loved getting to know
Shane and hearing more about his creative process. A
first-generation jeweler from an artistically inclined family, he sources all
his turquoise from the US and does his engraving by hand. His
meticulous attention to symmetry is evident in his work.

Shane has a unique life perspective and attitude, and told us some wonderful stories
from his time in the rodeo as well as his various world travels. Shane
considers his jewelry his legacy and only makes a limited amount of
pieces. As a ‘one man band,’ he takes care and consideration with each of
his works.

Jed Foutz’s lecture was a big hit
as well. We learned about his fascinating family history working within
the Navajo reservation for five generations.
He spoke about the personal relationships that he has developed with top
Navajo weavers, and expressed the nuances of the trader and artist relationship, reflecting on how the symbiotic system has developed over the years. His father, Ed, had
a different style of selling and trade, while Jed has come into his own in how
he conducts business.

Jed told a touching story about
the special moment he shared with his friend Anita Tsosie when she realized her
weaving won Best of Show at Indian Market in 2004. He encouraged Anita, who typically
devoted an entire year to complete one weaving to immediately sell, to
enter her work into the juried show. Reluctantly, she entered her weaving,
and when she walked into the awards ceremony and discovered her piece covered
in celebratory ribbons, she was overcome with emotion. She then sold the piece
to a couple for more than double what she originally had humbly thought she
could charge for her work. Jed reflected on how proud he was for her to
know the value and respect people felt for her artistry.

Jed also fielded questions from
the crowd, one of which was, “As times change, will there still be Navajo weavers?”
Jed noted the ways in which the traditional trading post system is in
transition and how the number of Native weavers has declined significantly even
since his father’s time in trading. However, he believes that there
will still be weavers who continue the tradition, creating and working within
an entirely new system.

Both Jed and Shane touched upon
how this is a very transitional time period in which artists and historians are
currently redefining how we look at art originating in Native
American culture. With an already rich
and interesting history, it is very exciting to look forward to what will come
in the future.